


Silver Lining

by yxnnefer



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Burlesque Club, Alternate Universe - College/University, Cabarets, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Smut, F/M, First Meetings, Library, Mutual Pining, orihime wears a different colour of jeffree star lipstick almost every chapter, orihime works at a cabaret, they're both losers, uryuu's a med student having a quarter life crisis
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-27
Updated: 2016-07-27
Packaged: 2018-07-27 02:59:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7600804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yxnnefer/pseuds/yxnnefer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He adjusted his tie slightly before walking up to the table and placing his hand on the seat across from the redheaded seat snatcher. He coughed to clear his throat, catching the girl's attention. She looked up at him with wide mocha like brown eyes and Uryuu gulped. He was a goner.</p><p>(Uryuu begins to doubt the choices he's made for the future but maybe it's not all bad.<br/>After getting sexiled from his own home, he ends up studying at the library - only to find a drop dead gorgeous redhead with bright blue lips sitting in his seat of course. Every cloud has a silver lining after all)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Silver Lining

**Author's Note:**

> I edit for myself and have no beta so I apologise for probable tense mistakes. I have a bad habit of going into present tense bc it's the easiest to write in tbh

Uryuu turned around the corner and suddenly there was red hair. Red hair like the epitome of an autumn day. Red hair like the breathtaking sight of crisp leaves that lined the pavements that morning. Red hair like -

Red hair that flipped over the shoulder of a woman. A woman sat at his table. Being a public library it wasn't his table per se, but it was Uryuu's preferred table. It was small and out the way, but best of all there were only two seats located at it. Uryuu could sit there in peace without worrying about anyone else coming to sit there once he'd made it clear it was his desk alone by leaving his textbooks strewn across the tabletop.

He adjusted his tie slightly before walking up to the table and placing his hand on the seat across from the redheaded seat snatcher. He coughed to clear his throat, catching the girl's attention. She looked up at him with wide mocha like brown eyes and Uryuu gulped. He was a goner. "May I... sit here?" And then as an afterthought he added, "please."

Then the corners of her baby blue coloured lips turned upwards into a huge smile. Were lipstick colours other than red now trendy? Uryuu didn't know much about makeup really, but the blue looked nice on her. She nodded enthusiastically and Uryuu almost had to take a step back because he was being blinded by her stunning bright smile.

"Of course you can!" she said before a look of panic spread across her soft features, "Oops!" she said quietly, almost in a whisper, "I've already been told off by a librarian for speaking too loud on the phone. It's a bad habit of mine. Speaking loudly I mean, not being told off by librarians. That was actually a first."

Uryuu had already sat down and began taking out his study material by the time she was done rambling. She twirled her pen shyly, looking a little self-conscious having gone off on a small tangent. He offered her a very slight smile before he turned his focus to his textbooks. The girl furrowed her brow, obviously deep in thought as she twirled her pen a couple more times. 

"I'm Orihime!"

"Hmm?" Uryuu looked up from the notes he was currently colour coding with his yellow highlighter (it was the most classic of highlighter colours after all.)

"Oh, I mean my name's Inoue Orihime!" Princess huh? It suited her, Uryuu thought but quickly dismissed it. She was a seat snatcher. A seat snatching princess maybe, but a seat stealer none the less.

Orhime looked at him with expectant eyes and Uryuu realised she was waiting for his name. "Oh, uh. Ishida Uryuu."

"Nice to meet you, Ishida-kun," she held out her hand and looked to Uryuu's own. Suddenly he felt them become sweaty and after wiping them on his trouser leg he gently held Orihime's hand and shook it. "You have nice hands," she said after pulling her hand back. "Long, nimble fingers. Do you play piano or something?"

"Mhm. I also played violin as a child..." he trailed off. Orihime was a stranger he'd never see again hopefully (so he could have his seat back, thanks.) Why should he be talking to a stranger about his past-times when he came here to study?

Without warning, Orihime had held Uryuu's hand again, this time manoeuvring it around from side to side and carefully examining it, studying each and every callous. "What about sewing? You look like you'd be good at that."

Uryu nodded and quietly replied, "I do. I very much so enjoy sewing actually." He slid his hand out of her grasp and Orihime gasped.

"Oh! Sorry, Ishida-kun! I forgot to ask permission before grabbing your hand like that. That was rude of me." She laughed sheepishly. "I should probably let you get on with your work now. But first... Um, you're a university student I'm guessing?" When Uryuu nodded she continued on, "What do you study?"

"I'm an undergraduate at a medical school," he replied and her eyes shone bright again.

"Wow! You want to be a doctor, Ishida-kun?" Orihime asked, her elbows rested on the table and her hands supporting her head as she leaned forward to listen to Uryuu.

"Ah." He put his highlighter down and closed his textbook for the moment. He probably wasn't going to get any work done in the immediate future. "My father owns a hospital in Karakura. I don't know if you'll know the place but -"

"You're from Karakura? Me too!" Orihime looked positively ecstatic at this revelation. "I moved when I was young though." She paused and pursed her lips, "Family matter, had to move to live with an aunt in Shinjuku."

"That explains why we haven't met. Karakura isn't exactly the largest of towns," Uryuu said. "Being so small, it often got... stuffy."

Orihime shook her head in disagreement. "It was homey. Perhaps the only place I've ever felt at home. Though, I haven't been back there in... six years? I... moved when I was twelve. Hmm, why didn't we meet in elementary school?"

"My grandfather was homeschooling me."

"Wow, homeschooled, huh?" Most people thought that fact made Uryuu uptight but Orihime? She seemed gleefully curious. "What was it like being homeschooled? I wouldn't know. I've only ever attended public schools. Not that I had a problem with public schools, they were cool. I'm just really interested. I don't know anyone who was homeschooled."

And he told her what it was like whilst she intently listened. His cheeks were lightly flushed as her level of interest was near frightening but very heartwarming. The fact she was even interested in talking to Uryuu made his heart soar a little. She was in the midst of asking him about what it was like studying at Karakura high when a librarian shushed them and Orihime turned an embarrassed red.

"I'm so sorry, Ishida-kun," she almost wailed within her whisper. "I got us into trouble, darn me for being so talkative. I should really, really stop."

"Don't." Uryuu blushed again. "I mean don't be sorry. But also don't feel that you have to stop. I actually find that quite... endearing?" Yeah, endearing was the perfect word.

Orihime nibbled at her lip shyly, her face as bright as Uryuu's own probably. The way her teeth ran over her lovely blue lips... "What's with the lipstick?" Uryuu asked without thinking.

Her eyebrows furrowed and she seemed a little put out. "Do you not like it?"

He shook his head. "That's not it, Inoue-san. I've never seen anyone wear such a colour in lipstick before. It's very nice. I suppose you could say my favourite colour is actually blue."

"Oh," said Orihime simply. "It's my favourite too! The colour I'm wearing right now is called 'Jawbreaker' from a liquid lipstick line created by Jeffree Star," she paused to lift her frog shaped handbag onto her lap where she continued to root around for what Uryuu assumed was the lipstick in question. At last she pulled up the pale electric colour in form of a tube and handed it to Uryuu. "I'm giving it to you."

"Why?"

"It's nice isn't it? The colour would suit you and that's why I want you to have it."

Uryu put the lipstick down. "But I'm male." And when Orihime simply tilted her head in confusion he continued. "Males don't wear lipstick."

"But that's not true, Ishida-kun. Males can wear lipstick too," she argued as if it were the most simple thing in the world.

It wasn't that she was wrong there but... "I don't wear lipstick."

"Have you ever tried wearing lipstick?" she asked, her arms now crossed.

He shook his head. "Well, no. But -"

"Makeup isn't for everyone and I understand that. But you shouldn't dismiss it because you're a heterosexual man." Realising her words she quickly blurted out, "Sorry, that was rude of me to assume."

He thought out his reply carefully. He was in the wrong, he knows that now. "No, you're correct. On both fronts. I should be the one apologising, Inoue-san."

She smiled at him, those plump lips in that lovely blue were so hard to ignore. It would be nice to kiss her, he thought and quickly dismissed it. He barely knew her, it wouldn't be gentleman-like at all.

"You can still have the lipstick though," she said placing it back in Uryuu's hand. "I don't want you to wear it if you're not comfortable of course. But think of it as a souvenir! It can be the souvenir of the beginning of our friendship, Ishida-kun!"

Uryuu looked down at the tube of liquid in his hand and smiled softly at it. "Okay."

"Oh, I'm so happy! Wait, since we're now friends we need a way to communicate! Do you have Facebook?"

He created one a few years ago in his senior year of high school when his friends (mainly Keigo) kept complaining that he was missing out on all the cool things they shared. In reality, Keigo wanted more likes on his original memes.  
  
"I do."

Orihime cheerfully clapped her hands together. "Great! I'll add you tonight. Be sure to accept!" And with that she had begun collecting together her papers (they looked like scripts?) and smushed them not so neatly into her frog handbag. "Right. I should be heading home if I'm going to make it to work on time tonight. Speak to you later!"

He'd barely gotten in his farewell before she had dashed off, red hair flowing behind her.

*****

As promised, Orihime's friend request is on his laptop when he got home that evening. He pressed ' _accept_ ' and within minutes she had messaged him.

_13 SUN, 18:04_

**Orihime:** hi ishida-kun!!

 **Uryuu:** Hello, Inoue-san.

 **Orihime:** did u get ur studying done in the end? :3

 **Uryuu:** Yes, however I will most likely be back tomorrow after class. My roommates are often too loud. I never get any work done at home.

 **Orihime:** D: I'm sorry to hear that!! What do ur roommates do??? play music too loud or????

 **Uryuu:** ...If only.

 **Orihime:**????

 **Uryuu:** They fornicate. Loudly.

 **Orihime:** What's that???  
**Orihime:** WAIT NVM I GOOGLED IT  
**Orihime:** r they at least having safe sex???

 **Uryuu:** What.  
**Uryuu:** How should I know?

 **Orihime:** I'm not sure. U should ask them tho!

 **Uryuu:** ...I'm not going to do that.

 **Orihime:** oh well. I hope they r.  
**Orihime:** Are they your only roommates?

 **Uryuu:** Fortunately, yes.

 **Orihime:** if theyre a couple y don't they have their own place???  
**Orihime:** !!! sorry! Im being nosy rnt i??

 **Uryuu:** It's fine. We're sharing a two bedroom apartment because it's cheaper that way. I know them from high school and they only actually started dating a few months ago.

 **Orihime:** Did u move in recently then?

 **Uryuu:** No, we've had the place for a while now.

 **Orihime:** u said 2 bedroom though??

 **Uryuu:** They've always shared rooms. Even before they started dating they've had a weird relationship.

 **Orihime:** that's pretty romantic tho!!

 **Uryuu:** Sharing a room?

 **Orihime:** That they were close enough to share a room even before they began dating!!! <3

 **Uryuu:** I suppose.

 **Orihime:** weeeeelll Ishida-kuuun, have u ever been in ....  
**Orihime:** luuuuuuuuv????

 **Uryuu:**...what?

 **Orihime:** in luuuuuuv!!  
**Orihime:** I can imagine you've had plenty of girlfriends!!

 **Uryuu:** Not really.

 **Orihime:** oh, that's a-ok!!  
**Orihime:** gosh im being so rude talking about such a personal topic  
**Orihime:** As payback feel free to ask me anything!!!

 **Uryuu:** I'm not all that sure what to ask?

 **Orihime:** oh okay. If u come up with smth ask anytime!!

 **Uryuu:** What about this... You mentioned work when u were leaving the library? Where do you work?

 **Orihime:** I'm at work right now actually lol  
**Orihime:** I work at a cabaret called the ash cat  
**Orihime:** I do burlesque

 **Uryuu:** I've heard of the place.

 **Orihime:** Really??? u should come see me perform sometime!!

 **Uryuu:** I might like that.

 **Orihime:** ok!! How abt Friday night?? U should bring ur roommates! I go on at 8pm that day

 **Uryuu:** Okay, thank you.

 **Orihime:** I'm sorry to cut our convo here but i go on stage v soon!!

 **Uryuu:** That's okay. I look forward to Friday.

 **Orihime:** Me 2!! speak to u later tho!!

Uryuu left the conversation there, logged out of Facebook and proceeded to turn his computer off. He checked the time on his watch, it was coming up to half past six and he should have started cooking dinner about ten minutes ago. Ichigo would be home soon and he'd insist on helping out. It wasn't that Ichigo was bad at cooking, he just left the kitchen in an absolute state and used at least half of their groceries for the entire week in one go.

"Hey, I'm home," announced Ichigo as he took his shoes off at the front door. "You left pretty early this morning."

Uryuu rolled his eyes at that, taking out a can of coconut milk from the cupboard. "Was forced to," he replied. "I don't know if you were aware how loud you and Kuchiki were being."

Ichigo's cheeks instantly turned a radish red and he muttered, "Sorry..."

"You want to make something for dessert? I went to the shops before coming home. I bought the ingredients for chocolate mousse." Ichigo perked up at that and began rooting around the kitchen for said ingredients. At least he was better at making dessert (and most of all, he left less mess and didn't waste so much food.)

"Go to the library I'm guessing?" Ichigo asked. He grabbed a knife from the cutlery draw and set to work on chopping the dark chocolate up.

Uryuu nodded. "Yes. Oh, that reminds me. A... friend of mine invited me to see her perform this Friday night. She says I can take people with me so I was wondering if you'd want to go with me?"

"Sure, sounds good. I don't have anything going on anyway." Ichigo popped a piece of chocolate in his mouth and near moaned in delight. Uryuu awkwardly coughed and Ichigo let out a sheepish grin. "Sorry. Yeah, what's your lady friend's performance?"

"She does burlesque." Ichigo's neck practically turned three-sixty degrees in order to look at Uryuu standing behind him.

"You're friends with a burlesque performer?" Uryuu nodded and Ichigo let out a low whistle. "Since when did people still do burlesque, holy shit. And since when did you become friends with a burlesque performer? You have like five friends, no offence."

Uryuu blinked owlishly at Ichigo. "It's still offensive even if you say 'no offence'." Ichigo shrugged. "I actually met her today at the library. She stole my seat."

"It's a public library she can sit where she wants, you nerd." Uryuu 'hmph'd.

The front door opened once again and this time a female comes tumbling into the kitchen. She hopped up onto the barstool and twirled it around a couple times. "What's for dinner?" Rukia asked as she stopped the rotation of the stool by holding onto the counter tightly.

"I'm cooking chicken curry and Ichigo's just putting dessert in the fridge," Uryuu answered. At that Rukia practically drooled. "Can you lay the plates of rice out at the dining table?"

She nodded before bounding over to their tiny table, plates balanced in her arms. Rukia had acquired the impressive skill set of a waitress from her day job.

"How was band practice, babe?" Ichigo asked. However before giving her the opportunity to answer he leaned over and softly kissed her.

"Mm." She moaned. "You taste like chocolate." She took a step back and sat down at the table. "Practice went really well thanks to your sisters! Karin wrote a badass new song and Yuzu brought us fucking bentos. Oh my god, they are ethereal beings and I love them."

"Makes you really wonder what went wrong with Ichigo," Uryuu cut in. In return Ichigo opened his mouth before closing it again. He repeated the action as he tried to find someway to argue back.  
He looked like a blubbering goldfish, especially with the bright orange hair.

Thankfully, that was where Uryuu came in with the pot of curry and scooped equal portions onto each of the plates of rice. Ichigo glared at him as he started to shovel the food into his mouth.

"So... howwasyourday, Ishida?" Rukia asked through her full mouth. Uryuu gave her the 'angry mother look' and he didn't even have to tell her off. She quickly swallowed down her food in fear before asking the question once again. "Ahaha," she nervously laughed. "How was your day then?"

"Uryuu made a _lady friend_ ," cooed Ichigo. Rukia brightened and whipped her head around to look at Uryuu.

"It's about time you got out into the world of dating!"

"I've had a relationship before..."

Rukia looked confused but Ichigo stepped into give a small explanation. "There was this disaster a few years ago with an older woman. Anyway, that doesn't count since it went so badly."

"Wow, thanks. That really makes me feel better," Uryuu said dryly. "However, Inoue-san and I are in no ways dating. She just invited me to see her work."

"Oh yeah! Rukia, you wanna come with us to a cabaret this Friday?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "That sounds like so much fun!" Suddenly a smirk graced Rukia's lips. "You sure you gonna be able to handle strip-tease, Ichigo?"

"Psssh, yeah. Totally," he said, his face a light shade of pink. "Uryuu's lady friend is performing burlesque so you should really be teasing him."

"Nah. I say good on him. I hope he and this mysterious lady friend become an item." She paused for affect. "So we can go on double dates!" she finished, practically squealing.

Both Uryuu and Ichigo cringed. "Hang out? With him?" they both said at the same time.

"Shut up, it'd be fun. We could go to amusement parks! Or cute diners!"

"You work at a diner," Uryuu pointed out. "I doubt going on a date at your work would be very fun."

"Hey, you'd be surprised. Staff discounts are extremely romantic."

At that Ichigo placed a hand against his forehead and said, "Swoon."

"Meme loving fuck," retorted Rukia with a quick punch to Ichigo's shoulder. Ichigo cried out and held his injured shoulder.

Uryuu sighed in disbelief. "No fighting at the dinner table." The both of them nodded in a demeanour reminiscent of a scolded child. "Go get dessert, Ichigo." He yelped and all but ran to the fridge. "No running in the house!"

The three of them eat pudding in near silence. Ichigo could make a damn fine chocolate mousse after all. As Uryuu began to clear away the plates, he remembered something Orihime had asked him earlier.

"You two practice safe sex, right?"

"Dude! What the _fuck_?!"

_13 SUN, 20:47_

**Uryuu:** They do in fact practice safe sex.

**Author's Note:**

> hi i havent written a multichapter fanfiction by myself in a long time (not like my friend and i ever finished the multichap we were writing lol) anyway!! this is my first IshiHime fanfiction on this account and I reeeeaaaally want to go all the way to the end with this one!
> 
> Anyway!! ishihime needs more love!!! Please come talk to me on tumblr about Ishihime and/or this fanfic!  
> You can find me here: megane-momoi.tumblr.com


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